Begonia plant named ‘Bkpbeeas’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Begonia  plant named ‘Bkpbeeas’, characterized by its broadly upright to outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; sturdy plants with freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; uniform and freely flowering habit; and double flowers that are orange red in color.

Botanical designation: Begonia×hiemalis.

Cultivar denomination: ‘BKPBEEAS’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Begonia plant, botanically known as Begonia×hiemalis, commercially referred to as Elatior Begonia and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Bkpbeeas’.

The new Begonia plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new freely branching and freely flowering Begonia plants with attractive flowers.

The new Begonia plant is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Dark Britt’, not patented. The new Begonia plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within a population of plants of ‘Dark Britt’ in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands in April, 2012.

Asexual reproduction of the new Begonia plant by vegetative tip cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Maasdijk, The Netherlands since January, 2013 has shown that the unique features of this new Begonia plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Begonia have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Bkpbeeas’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Bkpbeeas’ as a new and distinct Begonia plant:

-   -   1. Broadly upright to outwardly spreading and mounded plant         habit.     -   2. Sturdy plants with freely basal branching habit.     -   3. Dark green-colored leaves.     -   4. Uniform and freely flowering habit.     -   5. Double flowers that are orange red in color.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of the mutation parent, ‘Dark Britt’. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘Dark Britt’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact than plants of         ‘Dark Britt’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Dark Britt’ differ in flower         color as plants of ‘Dark Britt’ have bright orange-colored         flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Reina’, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 19,336. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘Reina’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Begonia are more compact than plants of         ‘Reina’.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Reina’ differ in flower color         as plants of ‘Reina’ have dark orange-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Begonia can also be compared to plants of Begonia×hiemalis ‘Batik’, not patented. Plants of the new Begonia differ primarily from plants of ‘Batik’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Flowers of plants of the new Begonia are double in form         whereas flowers of plants of ‘Batik’ are semi-double in form.     -   2. Plants of the new Begonia and ‘Batik’ differ in flower color         as plants of ‘Batik’ have bright orange-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Begonia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Begonia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Bkpbeeas’ grown in a container.

The photograph on the second sheet are close-up views of upper and lower surfaces of typical developed flowers and leaves of ‘Bkpbeeas’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants used for the aforementioned photographs and following observations and measurements were grown during the autumn in 12-cm containers in a glass-covered greenhouse in Maasdijk, The Netherlands. During the production of the plants, day and night temperatures ranged from 19° to 21° C. Plants were twelve weeks old when the photographs and the description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Begonia×hiemalis ‘Bkpbeeas’. -   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of Begonia     hiemalis ‘Dark Britt’, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative tip cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots.—About 20 days at temperatures about             25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 35 to 36 days at             temperatures about 21° C. to 23° C.         -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous; typically brown in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizer type and formulation,             substrate temperature and physiological age of roots; plants             of the new Begonia have not been observed to form tubers.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching habit; dense. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Broadly upright to outwardly             spreading and mounded plant habit; plant shape, broadly             ovate; moderately vigorous growth habit; moderate growth             rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 19.3             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 22.3             cm.         -   Plant width.—About 25.9 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Freely             branching habit with about two basal branches developing per             plant; each basal branch with about seven lateral branches;             pinching is not required. Length: About 8 cm. Diameter:             About 9 mm. Internode length: About 2.5 cm. Strength:             Moderately strong. Aspect: About 40° from vertical. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; glossy. Color, developing:             Close to 146D. Color, fully developed: Close to 146C.         -   Leaf description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Length:             About 11.4 cm. Width: About 9.4 cm. Shape: Ovate. Apex:             Acute. Base: Oblique, lobes meeting to slightly imbricate.             Margin: Crenate to dentate; strongly undulate. Texture and             luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly velvety;             slightly glossy. Texture and luster, lower surface: Sparsely             pubescent along veins; moderately glossy. Venation pattern:             Laciniate. Color: Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to             143A. Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 147C. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker than between 147A and             N189A; venation, close to 143B and 143C. Fully expanded             leaves, lower surface: Close to between 148B and 191A;             venation, close to 144B and 144C. Petioles: Length: About             4.9 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Sparsely pubescent; moderately glossy.             Color, upper surface: Close to 146D and 173A to 173B. Color,             lower surface: Close to 145A and N170B. Stipules: Quantity             per leaf: Two. Length: About 1.3 cm. Width: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Broadly cuneate. Margins:             Entire. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 145B to             145C. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flowering habit.—Rotate double sterile flowers arranged in             axillary compound cymes; freely flowering habit with about             nine flowers per cyme and about 500 flowers developing per             plant during the flowering season; flowers face upright to             slightly outwardly.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Natural flowering season.—Long flowering period, plants             flower freely and continuously from spring into the autumn             in The Netherlands; during the winter in a greenhouse,             plants begin flowering about 50 days after exposure to             photoinductive treatments.         -   Postproduction longevity.—Individual flowers last about ten             days on the plant; flowers not persistent; plants maintain             good substance for about 20 to 30 days in an interior             environment.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 7.2 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 8.1 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 1.5 cm. Diameter, flattened:             About 1.3 cm. Shape: Broadly obovate; flattened. Texture and             luster: Smooth, glabrous, slightly velvety; very slightly             glossy. Color: Close to 150D; distally, close to 29B.         -   Flowers.—Diameter: About 4.7 cm. Depth: About 2.3 cm.             Tepals: Quantity and arrangement: Four per flower arranged             in two whorls. Length, lower tepals: About 3 cm. Width,             lower tepals: About 4 cm. Length, upper tepals: About 2 cm.             Width, upper tepals: About 2.8 cm. Shape: Roughly reniform.             Apex: Rounded. Base: Reniform. Margin: Entire; slightly             undulate. Texture and luster, upper surface: Smooth,             glabrous, moderately velvety; matte. Texture and luster,             lower surface: Smooth, glabrous, slightly velvety; matte to             very slightly glossy. Color: When opening, upper surface:             Close to 30C to 30D; towards the base, close to 154C to             154D. When opening, lower surface: Close to 33C to 33D;             towards the base, close to 154D. Fully opened, upper             surface: Close to 30A to 30B; towards the base, close to             between 154D and 1D; color does not fade with development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 33C to 33D; towards             the base, close to 154D; color does not fade with             development. Tepaloids: Quantity and arrangement: About 30             arranged in multiple whorls at the center of the flower.             Length: About 7 mm to 19 mm. Width: About 9 mm to 20 mm.             Shape: Obovate. Apex: Rounded to shallowly cleft. Base:             Attenuate. Margin: Entire; very slightly undulate. Texture             and luster, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous, moderately             velvety; matte. Texture and luster, lower surface: Smooth,             glabrous, slightly velvety; matte. Color: When opening,             upper surface: Close to 25C; towards the base, close to 1B.             When opening, lower surface: Close to 154D; towards the apex             and base, strongly tinged with close to 29A. Fully opened,             upper surface: Close to 31C; margins, close to 25C; towards             the base, close to 2C; color does not fade with development.             Fully opened, lower surface: Close to 31C to 31D; towards             the base, close to 1C; color does not fade with development.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6.9 cm. Diameter: About 5 mm to             6.5 mm. Angle: About 30° from lateral branch axis. Strength:             Moderately strong; flexible. Texture and luster: Smooth,             glabrous; moderately glossy. Color: Close to 146C to 146D.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Angle:             About 15° from the peduncle axis. Strength: Moderately             strong; flexible. Texture and luster: Glabrous; glossy.             Color: Close to 145A.         -   Flower bracts.—Quantity and arrangement: Two per flower,             opposite. Length: About 1.4 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape:             Roughly orbicular. Apex: Rounded. Margin: Entire. Texture             and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;             matte. Color, upper and lower surfaces: Close to 143C.         -   Reproductive organs.—None observed, all structures             transformed into tepaloids.         -   Seeds and fruits.—Seed and fruit development have not been             observed on plants of the new Begonia as flowers are             sterile. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common     to Begonia plants has not been observed on plants of the new     Begonia. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Begonia have been observed     to tolerate high temperatures of about 35° C. and to be suitable for     USDA Hardiness Zones 10 to 12. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Begonia plant named ‘Bkpbeeas’ as illustrated and described. 